Spirit of Christmas Appeal

Our Spirit of Christmas Appeal is inspired by the values of the Mayflower 400 Commemorations and its commitment to fairness and equality. 

Why are we asking for your support?

Because our community needs it!

“I never thought I would need a foodbank.  I lost my job when furlough finished and currently unable to find employment due partly I feel to my disability. I am not a scrounger, I want to work but pride does not feed my family” - Father living in Whitleigh.

"As a pensioner I am finding it increasingly difficult to pay my energy bills as they just keep going up. The decision I have to make is either to not heat the house, or heat the house and cut back on my food shop” - 82 year old man who lives alone.

“Covid has made me afraid of going out of the house.  I do have underlying health issues. The befriending service has literally been a lifeline” - 45 year old woman living alone in Ernesettle.

There is no way to sugar coat the fact that the number of people living in poverty and unable to cover basic food and heating costs is rising. The reasons are varied and include Universal Benefit cuts, inflation, poor mental health, and people unable to resume their employment now furlough has finished. 

Four Greens Community Trust provides weekly emergency food parcels to over 160 people a week and this number is rising weekly.

Four Greens Community Trust raised over £100k last year to support some of the most vulnerable in our society. Over the Christmas and New Year period The Spirit of Christmas Appeal will enable us to:

• Provide emergency food parcels to over 200 people in Plymouth to cover the two-week festive period
• Provide 100 Christmas Hampers to people living in social isolation or who have no services to access over the Christmas period.
• Provide emergency blankets, warm clothing and other essentials to people struggling to cover their fuel bills
• Enable FGCT to provide additional befriending support over Christmas

We already have raised £3,000 from other sources and are hoping to raise an additional £4,000 from this Crowdfunding appeal. A donation, however small will make a huge difference to someone’s life this Christmas. 

Who we are?

Four Greens Community Trust is a Community Interest and Not for Profit organisation that works with partners in our community to:

• Improve wellbeing and health
• Create employment and volunteering opportunities
• Reduce isolation
• Create a can-do culture
• Nurture and develop a sense of community

Our aim is to reduce inequality and therefore our work will support those most vulnerable in our community including:

• Young people
• People with disabilities
• The elderly
• Minority groups

Our work to support people in poverty would not be possible without the dedicated support of the following partners.

• Barnardos
• Whitleigh Big Local
• Salvation Army
• St Chads Church
• The Sea Church in 
• Honicknowle Commnet
• Gardners Haulage
• Love Your Neighbour
• The Argyle Community Trust
• Public Health and Plymouth City Council

Together we make a real difference to our community.

How will we do this?

• Engaging our friends, partners and local community to promote the Spirit of Christmas Appeal to as many individuals and groups as possible
• Partners will refer families and individuals to us that are struggling this Christmas so that we can ensure that the support goes to those most in need
• Use of volunteer workforce to ensure all money from the appeal goes to the families and individuals we are supporting and over 25 volunteers will be involved in the collation of parcels and essentials and their delivery
• Raise the £ 4000 that we are seeking through this Crowdfunder
• Acknowledge the support of everyone who contributes to the Crowdfunder and provide information after Christmas of the impact donations have .

In advance, we'd like to thank you for your support and we will acknowledge your donation on our social media platforms if you have not made this donation anonymously.